The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1887-07-30
THE GOVERNOR OF
KANSAS SPEAKS.
KANSAS PROSPERITY VS.. THE sA-
LOON INTEREST,"
Chieago. JuIy 13-The FOLLOW

LOON ~ EhES -
Chicago, July 13-The follow.
ing was received here to-day:
KANSAS PROSPERITY vs. SALOON IN
TEREST.
State Of Kansas, Exec. Dept. }
Topeka, July u, 1887, 8
To William Henry Smith, Gen
eral Manager Associated Press.
My Dear Sir-On July the 2d
inst, a Special dispatch was sent
from st. Joseph, Mo-, to Chi
cago papec, in which it was stated
that the "closing of the saloons
in Atchison, Ks, has cut off the
most profitable source of revenue,
amounting to thousands of dollars
a year, and rs a result the city has
not revenue to keep going. The
police force with the exception Of
the marshal and one policeman,
had been suspended; that the
services Of the fremcn were to be
dispensed with, and that the gas
and electric lights were to be shut
off. !"
THIS DISPATCH
was utilized by the associated
press, and thus published in all
parts Of the country, and as a re-
suit ! have received letters from
different sections making inquiry
as to the truth Of the statements il
embodied, and have seen its al
legged facts commented on in
dozens of newspapers as evidence
that the abolition Of saloons has
reduced aprosperous city in Kan
sas 10 the verge Of bankruntcy.
Similar letters have been received
by the mayor OF Atchison, and by
many other cities of Kansas. The
dispatch referred to was prompt
ed by two motives. 1t was, first
sent from a town in Missouri for
the purpose of iniuIing a
RIVAL CITY IN KANSAS;
and second, it creates the impress
sion that an efficient city govern
ment could not be maintained
without the revenue derived from
section licenses. The city of
Atchison has been for many years
one of the most important rail
road and commercial centers of
Kansas. II has population of
about $4,000 people. If the
whisky interest could create the
impression that Atchison had
been materially injured because
the saloons had been driven out
of it, a serious blow would be
dealt the temperance cause. The
Associated Press, in giving the
false special such wide publicity
was made the unconscious agent
of a.
MALICIOUS SLANDERER.
whose purposes were as unworthy
as his statements were unfounded.
! deem it my duty to correct the
false impressions thus created, and
respectfully ask that this letter be
given as VIDE publication as the
dispatch which prompted it. l
am thoroughly familiar with the
condition Of the city of Atchison,
and personally know that the
statements embodied IN the St.
Joseph dispatch are false and
misleading. The gas, electricity
lights and water supply Of the
city have never been turned off.
Its fire department has been, and
is, continually on duty. It's
police force has been largely re-
duced, bur has, in the
ABSENCE OF THE SALOONS,
been ample to preserve the peace
and protect the property of It's
citizens. A local dispute con-
eerning methods of taxation and
involving the adoption of a tax
which has been collected in the
city of St. Joseph for many years
past is the only foundation for the
malicious and untruthful dispatch
from that place. Atchison abol-
ished the last of its saloons in the
fall of 1886. The whisky inter-
ests prophesied that this action
would seriously injure the busi-
ness of the city. It has had nc
such effect. A.chison is more
prosperous to-day than it has
been for many years past. TT
WHOLESALE TRADE
aggregated over $4O,0O0,OO0 in
1886 and during the first six
months Of 1887 this trade has in.
creased fully 33 per cent, oyel
that for the corresponding six
months of 1886. All the princi-
pal streets Of the city are now be-
ing paved. More substantial im-